Hydraulic coupling



Patented ug. V26;, 1942 HYDRAULIC COUPLIN G Theodore A. Woolsey, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Marman Products Company, Inc., Inglewood,

Calif.

Application February 21, 1945, Serial No. 579,094

This` invention relates to coupling devices, more particularly to a device for connecting'together the abuttingY ends of conduits or pipes adapted to carry fluid under pressure.

The device of the present invention in the broadest aspects thereof comprises a ring of some suitable resilient material, 'a pair of rigid semiannular segments, or sho-es, provided with coextensive anges at the opposite edges thereof which form therebetween a channel for receiving the ring, and a band of flexible material adapted to Ibe clamped about the segments.

lInthe Vpreferred -form of the coupling device herein shown each segment is connected to the band by spot welding selected points on each segment or shoe to the band. To facilitate use offthe device, the segments are so connected to the band that in use the latter can be flexed to 17 claims. (o1. 285-129) separate the segmentsand permit the same to be disposed about the ring previously mounted on the adjacent ends of the conduits to be joined.l

The coupling device herein shown' is intended to be used with conduits or tubes in which beads are formed adjacent theends to be connected by the coupling device. The beads, besides their usual function, cooperate with the coupling device to hold the conduits against separation. To this Vend the ring is `formed with two circumferential grooves for conduits. As the inside diameter of the flanges is less than the outside diameter of the beads, the wedging of the material of the ring between thailanges and the beads, after the band has been-tightened about the segments, or shoes prevents the ends of the conduits Yfrom separating a distance'sucient to destroy the connection.

The coupling device of the present invention is well adapted to be used in hydraulic systems where relativelyA high pressures are encountered. To utilize the high pressure to augment the sealing action the inner surface of the ring is formed with a centrally ,located circumferential groove forming an annular chamber communicating with the pressure in the conduits. Thus the pressure within'the conduits acts against the wall of the chamber and deforms the material of the ring and forces or urges the material into the annular opening between the edges of the flanges andthe conduits as well as into good sealing engagement With the'conduits adjacent-the flanges.

Thev segments are formed of relativelyrigid material so that there is little likelihood of the langes'bending or deforming under the stresses produced by the pressurewithinv the conduits joined. kHowever, to strengthen the flanges, and

receiving the beads of ther particularly the free edge portions thereof, the latter are formed with outwardly projecting ribs. The ribs strengthen the flanges as well as eliminate any sharp corners which might cleave the material of the ring as it is urged against the flanges.

Although the coupling device is formed of the two segments and the clamping band, the connection between the segments and the band makes the device capable of being handled as a onepiece coupling. The coupling device of the present invention, however, is not subject to the criticism of many of the previously proposed onepiece couplings, for the device may be made of a strength sufcient to withstand the pressures to be expected to be encountered and yet is easily opened to permit the same to be disposed about the conduits to be joined. This is due to the particular construction of applicants device, as the clamping band is sufciently flexible to allow the Same to serve Vas 'a hinge in the installing operation.

' Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing in' which:

'1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the coupling of the present invention shown mounted to a pair of conduits with a portion of the coupling device removed for more clearly illustrating the same; f

' Figure'2 -is a side view of the coupling device mounted 'in place on the conduits with the conduits being shown in section; and f l Figure 3'i's a section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2. l

'The coupling device ofthe present invention, referring now to the drawing and particularly Figure 1 thereof, comprises a packing ring Ill of some suitable material such as rubber, neoprene, or a similar material which will not be affected by the fluidin the conduits ll between which it is placed.

A The coupling device is preferably used to join conduits formed with beads adjacent the ends thereof, and to this end the interior surface of the ring is formed with three spaced annular grooves, the outer two, each designated by the referenceV character IZ, receiving respectively an annular bead I3 formed adjacent the end of each conduit l I. Y

lIt vwillbe seen, referring now to Figure 2, that the Vouter grooves are so spaced that when the adjacent `ends of the conduits are spaced apart to provide an annular passage leading to the chamber formed by the intermediate groove I4 of the ring It). Thus the chamber so formed is in communication with the material of the conduits and the wall of the same will be subjected to the pressure of the fluids in the conduits.

To hold the ring Iil about the ends of the conduits a pair of semi-annular segments or shoes i are placed on opposite Sides'fthering. vEach segment or shoe is formed at opposite sides thereof with inwardly and laterally extending ang'es iS coeXtensive therewith. The segments I5, to; gether with the flanges i6, when placed as best shown in Figures 1 and 3 form an annular groove for receiving and confining Ethe *ring IU( The segments I5 are held about the ring I0 by a clamping band I1 formed of some relatively flexible material such as stainlessmsteel. Each end of the band is bent back on itself and spotwelded to form a loop I8. The one loop is formed about the head of a T bolt IS, the shank of which projects-through Va'slot 20 formed in the portion of the band offwhich theloop is-formed.`

`:A cylindrical member `2I is mounted in the otherfloop and is formed witha transversely eX tending'passage to belalignedwith openings in this loop to permit the threaded end of the shank ofthe 'boltV Iii to extend'therethrough. v`A bush ing-2N2, slipped overA the projecting end of the shank extends through the one opening andseats on the member I toV take the" thrust of a nut 23 threaded onto the end' oi the shank. It will be seen/that as the nut 2 `is tightened the ends of the bandv are drawn together to clamp the segments 'I5 about vthe ring' I0.. To prevent accidental movement of the segments caused by pressure "acting "against thei'ring, the' band 'should cover both lines of yjointure between the two segments.v

Although the segments need not be connected to theband, inthe 'preferred forni ofthe device, eachsegr'nent is rigidly 'fixed to the band. This facilitates use of the device and eliminates the necessity'of holding thesg'ments about the" ring asthe band is mounted4 iriiolace.Y vAny rneansde sired may loe used'to connect the sgme'nts'to the band, but in the illustrated' embodiment 'of the' invention each segment" I6 isspot-welded 'as shown" at 24""to the band I1" at"substantiall`y diametrically opposite pointsthereonf y It will be noted' that, althoughthe band covers both lines of jointure between adjacent ends of the'seg'rnents, thewelds `2'4 are' so located 'that the opposite yends'of theband maybe drawn apart to separate thesegments't'opemit the same to be placed about the ringv'I after it hasbeen mounted to the adjacent ends of the conduits to be joined. The band I'I asit is-formed'of a relatively iiexible Vmaterialfacts as` a spring: loaded hinge in'this operation, for it normally tends te heid thesegmen'ts together.

'The vii'exibilityof the' material of the band eliminates the danger of deforming the coupling device" as it is spreadapart-beforeit is mounted about the patchingringv` [IlV and Yalso allows the band yto'be tightlyA clamped( about the segments as the nut is tightened on the bolt, I8`.

`The coupling "device of the present invention is no'tintended to be'used as anadjustablefor universifeeviee, and each device win bewiseei only with conduits ofthe diameter which the 'de-'- vice was* designed-to be` used.l Thesegments therefore willbe of" such a sizethat the end faces thereof-7willV besbrought nt'o'close proximity, if

not in contact, when the band is tightened to clamp the segments about the ring.

The ring it should be of such a thickness that the flanges I6 will be held out of engagement with the conduits II even after the band I1 has been tightly clamped about the segments I5 to compress the ring I0 between the latter and the conduits. In the preferred embodiment of the coupling device, the' ring Il) isA of lsuch a size relative lto'thei'size ofthe flanges IG that the inner diameter of the latter, after the band has been tightened, is less than the outer diameter of the beads I3. Thus, as the material of the ring it! will be compresed and wedged between the'beads' I3 and the flanges II as the band I1 is tightened, any outward movement of the conduits will be resisted b y the material confined by the segments and the flanges thereof. Even if some portion of the material of the ring should ow into 'the chamber formed by the groove I4 during relative outward movement of the conduits, the flanges of the segments will prevent the conduits from's'ep'arating a distance sufcient'to destroy the' connection It will be obvious that the' inner edges of the anges must not only be spaced from the conduits a distance less than the heightI of the beads but the distance must be small enough to prevent the material of the ring from extrudingxthrough the annularl opening between the conduits and the flanges as a result of the compressi'vey load on the material. The circumferentialv compression of the matej rial of the ring between the segments I5 and their ilanges Ijand the conduits II effects a fluidtight seal between the ring and the adjacent ends of the conduits. As the wall of the chamber formed by the groove I4 is subjected to the pressure ofthe fluid within the conduits, the seal between thev ring and the conduits is increased as the 'pressure within the conduits increases,

This'is due to the increased compression of the material of the ring between the segments and the outer 'surface of the conduits caused by the increase of the'pressure within the conduits.

The compression of the material of the ring between the flanges and the conduits subjects the angesfto relatively highy bending stresses and the segments should be formed of relatively rigid materialand of a strength suicient to resist the bending forces to whichw the flanges are sub- To further strengthen the flanges, the inner or free edge portions thereof are formed with out-turnedribs 2,5. The ribs `not only strengthen th'flanges but also eliminate any sharp corners i which'might cut the material of the ring I0 as it is COIDSSd between the iflanges I6 and the conpacking ring.. The device herein shown is `easier to-apply than many multiple-piececouplings and is 'equal in strength: A; further advantage oi the device of this invention is that the same 'can beY clamped in placeV withoutthe use ofL special tools,

' Although the now preferred embodiment of thev present invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto for it is susceptible to changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. A coupling device adapted to connect together the adjoining ends of two conduits comprising: an annular member of resilient compressible material to be mounted on the adjoining ends of thersaid conduits; rigid arcuate members to be placed on opposite sides of said member for partially circumscribing and confining said member; a ilexible member encircling said members and attached thereto at spaced points; and means for contracting said flexible member about said meanswhereby said means are drawn together to encompass the material of said annular member and compress the same.

2. A cofupling device as claimed in claim 1 in which the opening between the ends of said flexible member is circurnferentially spaced from the ends of said rigid arcuate members.

3. A coupling device adapted to connect together the ends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a pair of arcuate segments of rigid material adapted to be placed about said ring; flanges carried by said segments and forming therewith an annular channel for receiving said ring; and a flexible clamping band encircling said segments, each segment being attached t0 said band at Substantially diametrically opposite points on the same.

4. A coupling device adapted to connect together the ends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a pair of rigid relatively heavy arcuate segments having a substantially channel-shaped cross section adapted to be placed on opposite sides of said ring to confine the same; a flexible relatively light band encircling said segments and attached to the same; and means for contracting said band to draw said segments together and compress said packing ring.

5. A coupling device adapted Vto connect together the lends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a flexible band coiled to a substantially circular form a pair of rigid arcuate segments each attached to said band at substantially diametrically opposite points; flanges inwardly directed from opposite edges of said segments and forming therewith a channel adaptedv to receive said ring; and means for contracting said band to draw said segments together and compress said packing ring.

6. A coupling device adapted to connect together the ends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a pair of rigid segments encircling said ring and having inwardly directed flanges engaging the opposite edge faces of said ring; and a single means attached to both of said segments for drawing the same together to compress said ring about the ends of said conduits, said means being so constructed and arranged that said segments may be drawn apart a disy tance sufllcient to permit the same to be slipped over said ring.

7. A coupling device adapted to connect together the ends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a pair of arcuate rigid segments, each having inturned flanges, said segments adapted to be placed on opposite sides of said ring; a relatively flexible band encircling said segments; and means for attaching each segment at substantially diametrically spaced points on said band.

8. A coupling device adapted to connect together the ends of two conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjacent ends of said conduits; a pair of arcuate rigid segments, each having inturned flanges, said segments adapted to be placed on opposite sides of said ringfribs formed on the inner edge portions of said flanges for reinforcing the same; a relatively flexible band encircling said segments; and means for attaching each segment at spaced points on said band, the segments being so attached to said band that the same will be drawn apart when the ends of the band are separated.

9. A coupling device for joining the adjacent ends of a pair of conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjoining ends of said conduits; a band formed of a single length of flexible metal curved to a circular shape; and a pair of semi-circular shoes fixed to said band at opposite points on the same, the metal of said band being sufficiently flexible to permit said band to be opened to draw said shoes apart a distance greater than the outer diameter of said ring.

10. A coupling device for joining the adjacent ends of a pair of conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjoining ends of said conduits; a band formed of a single length cf flexible metal curved to a circular shape; a pair of semi-circular shoes fixed to said band at diametrically opposite points on the same; flanges inwardly extending from opposite edges of each shoe and forming therewith an arcuatelyshaped channelfor receiving a part of said ring; and ribs Vformed on the inner edges of said flanges for reinforcing the same, the metal of said lband being sufficiently flexible to permit said band to be opened to draw said flanged shoes apart a distance greater than the outer diameter of said ring.

l1. A coupling adapted to connect together the ends of a pair of conduits having annular beads adjacent the ends thereof comprising: a ring of resilient compressible material encircling the adjoining endsV of said conduits with the beads thereof disposed in annular grooves formed in the interior surface of said ring; a band formed of a single length of flexible metal curved to a circular shape; a pair of semi-circular rigid shoes attached to the inner surface of said band at diametrically opposite points on the same; flanges inwardly extending from the opposite edges of each shoe, said flanged shoes when disposed on opposite sides of said conduits at the jointure therebetween forming an annular recess for receiving said ring; and means for drawing the ends of said band together to clamp said shoes about said ring, the band being suinciently Yflexible to be opened to draw the inner edge portions of said flanges apart a distance greater than the outer diameter of said ring whereby said flanges can be passed over the ring to dispose the shoes about the same.

12. A coupling device for joining the adjacent ends of a pair of conduits comprising: a packing ring adapted to encircle the adjoining ends of said conduits; a band formed of a single length of flexible metal curved to a circular shape; a vpair of semi-circular shoes fixed to said band at diametrically opposite points on the same,

said conduits with the beads Vthereof disposedy in'annul'ar grooves formed-in the interior surface of. said ring;- a pair of arcuate segments substantially channel-shape incross section disposed on opposite sides ofsaid ring with the flanges thereof extending inwardly inV engagement with the opposite edge faces of said ring; and means for'drawing the segments togetherl toA compress said ring, saidV ring'being of such a sizerelative to'the size of said flanges that the inner.

diameter of the latter when said ring is compressedlisless thanthe outer diameter or said beads.

14;' In combination with a pair of; conduits: a pairwof rigid segments each formed with a semilannularfrecess in its inner surface whereby saidfsegments when brought into juxtaposition form an annular recess; a packing ring disposed in said annular recess and encircling" the adjacent ends of said conduits; a iiexible band circurn'scribing.said.` segments and attached to each having annularbeads-Z adjacent the ends thereof: Masking fine. enrling the adjoining ends of said conduits with the beads thereof disposed in annulary grooves formed the interior surface of said ring; a pair ofA arcuate segments substantially channel-shape in cross section disposed on opposite sides of said ringV and substantially confining the same; ribs formed at the free edges of the anges of said segments for reinforcing said flanges against bending forces; and` means for drawing the segments together to compress said ring, said ring being socompressible and of such a size relative to the size of said anges that after said ring has been compressed. the ribs are in close proximity to the outer surface of said conduits and spaced therefrom a distance lessYV than the height of said beads.

17. In combination with a pair of conduits having annular beadsl adjacent the ends thereof: a packing ring encircling the adjoining ends of said conduits with the beads thereof disposed in annular grooves formed in the interior Vsurface ofv said ring; ar groove formed in the interior surface of` saidring intermediate said beadreceiving grooves forming an annular chamber segment at substantially diametricallyk opposite l points; andl means contracting said-band about said segmentsan'd compressing the ring encircling the endsof saidconduits.

15. In combination4 with a pair of conduits having annular beads adjacent the ends thereof: a packing ring encircling` the adjoining ends ofsaidconduitswith the beads thereof disposed in annular grooves formed in the interior surfaceof said ring; a pair of arcuate segments substantially channel-shape in cross section disposed on opposite sides of saidy ring with the flanges thereof extending inwardly in engagement with the opposite edge faces of. said ring; ribs formed at the free edges of said-flanges for reinforcing the same; and means for drawing the segments together to compress said ring, said ring being of such a size relative to the size of said. flanges that the inner diameter of the latter when said ring is compressedis less than the outervv diameter of said beads.

16." InY combination with a pair. ofconduits communicating with the interior of said conduits through the adjoining ends thereof; a pair of arcuate segments substantially channel-shape in cross-section disposed on opposite sides of said ring withthe flanges thereof extending inwardly. in engagement with ther opposite edge faces of said ring; and means for drawing the segments together to circumferentially compress said ring between the same and said conduits, pressure within said conduits acting against the \val1j of said chamber increasing the circumferential compression of said ring, and augmenting the sealeffectedby the compression of said ring.

T HEODORE A. WOOLSEY,

REFERENCES CITED rlhe following` references are of record in the 45 le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Disclaimer Calif. HYDRAULIC CQUPLING. Patent isciaimer filed Jan. 23, 1948, by the inventor; the

cts Company, Inc., assentmg.

of said patent.

.--Theodore A. Woolsey, Pasadena,

dated Aug. 26, 1947. D assignee, Marman Produ Hereby ent-ers this disclaimer to claims 13 and 17 [Ojicz'al Gazette Mar. 2, 1948.] 

